A terminal chart is a map that provides the image of a procedure route and is designed to assist pilots in navigating aircraft. Pilots can use terminal charts and other tools to determine an aircraft's position, safe altitude, best route to a destination, navigation aids along the way, alternative landing areas in case of an in-flight emergency, and other useful information such as radio frequencies and airspace boundaries. Currently these terminal charts are provided in the form of physical papers or in a portable document format (pdf). The terminal charts are not updated frequently and can become out of date.
Navigational data may be updated more frequently than terminal charts and are supplied from various suppliers using the ARINC 424 format. ARINC 424 is an international standard file format for aircraft navigation data maintained by Airlines Electronic Engineering Committee and published by Aeronautical Radio, Inc. The ARINC 424 specifications provide a standard for the preparation and transmission of data for assembly of airborne navigation system databases. ARINC 424 specifies a 132-byte fixed-length record format. Each record consists of one piece of navigation information such as an airport, heliport, runway, waypoints, Navaid, airways, arrival routes, and departure routes. ARINC 424 data is not natively displayable as a terminal chart and lacks certain details shown in a terminal chart.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system for providing the image of a procedure route as depicted in a terminal chart that is derived from navigational data provided in an industry standard format.